Sheet-piling construction



J. STOCKFLETHP SHEET FILING CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6, I920.

Patented Mar. 151921.

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1 Specification of Letters Patent. Pgffiw M -.1 1921,,

Application filed July 6, 1920. Serial no. 394,121.

To all whom may concern: Be it known that L'Jorm STOOKFLETH, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Crockett, in the county of Contra Costa and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in. Sheet-Piling Construction, of which the following is a specification. p

.This invention relates to sheet piling construction such as extensively used in coffer dam construction and the like. i The invention .has for its object to simplify and improve sheet piling construct on by the use of novel and inexpensive piles preferably of concrete construction.

The piles used are formed with tongues or grooves at their longitudinal edges which co-act in a novel way to form a water-tight joint. -Different shapes of piles are provided for the purpose of restoring alinementto a dam should any of the piles be irregularly driven. Also I include a novel shape for use as a starting pile andwhich may include wings at right'angles to each other. to form a corner pile when it is desired .to construct the dam in sections. There are var'ious other features of advantage and impiles' that will become apparent upon a fur.- ther understanding of the invention. In the accompanying drawings' Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a section of a dam constructed of piles embodying my invention.

. Fig. 2 shows a side elevation of a wedgeshaped pile used in this invention.

Fig. 3 shows an edge view of another shape of pile wherein the .opposite edges are arranged at angles to each other for the purpose of restoring the alinement of the dam. Fig. 4 shows a sectional view taken on the line 1-4 of Fig; 3.

Fig. '5 shows a sectional view of a modified form of starting pile employing two wings at right angles to each other.

The construction herein shown includes 21.

- starting pile A which may have two wings 10 and 11 in alinement, or two or more such wings at right angles to each other. Each wing is formed with a groove 12 on its longitudinal edge, preferably of semi-circular form. At the base of the groove is a second and smaller semi-circular depression '13. A series of sheet piles B are provided for cooperation with the starting pile and with each other. These sheet piles are of fiat construction and haveat one longitudinal edge ;a tongue 14: with a" semicircular depression 15, and at the otherlongitudinal edge a groove 16, similar to the groove 12 in the startingvpile. This groove 16 is also provided with a semi-circular depression 17. The tongue on one pile co-acts with a groove on the other in away to leave spaces a 18,. between the edges or shoulders of ad joining piles, so that, in case a pile should veer to one side in its course when being driven, there will be no danger of chipping or cracking the thin shoulders at the sides. The two depressions, one at the base of the groove and the other at the tip of the tongue, cooperate to form a circular opening 19 into which packing material, such as oakum or. concrete, is placed to form a water-tight joint. v

Each pilehas a central projection 20 at its top with which the driver contacts and which may also be used forlashing the tops of the piles together.

20 is provided with an opening 21 extending transversely therethrough to receive a rod or bar with which a lifting hook or chain co-acts to raise the pile into place for driving. For similar purposeseach of the sheet piles has an opening 22 arranged near its upper end and toward the edge of the pile which carries the tongue so that in lifting the pileinto place for driving the tongue will be presented toward the groove in the starting pile and the lower end of the pile will swing toward the starting pile and remain in intimate contact therewith. Other transverse openings are provided in the piles to receive fastening means for a waling piece 23, or, if desired, the same open- -or beveled, as shown at 241:, on the edge 0p- In the case of the starting plle, the driving head or projection posite the tongue so as to cause the pile,

when being driven, to be moved tightly against the .pile with which it is being matched. Also these piles maybe tapered on each side, as shown at 25, to facilitate driving of the same. i

In addition to .the shapes already described, I provide a wedg'e-sha ed pile C and a battered pile D, shown in igs. 2 and 3 respectively. The wedge-shaped pile is used in connection with-a pile which has then swung into place with 25 gotten out of plumb in order to bring the succeeding pile back to vertical position.

This pile is reversible end for end, each end being provided with a driving head 26 and openings 27 for lifting the same into place for driving and for securing a' waling piece in position. The battered pile has its 1on gitudinal edges relatively inclined so that when a pile has inclined laterally the batl tered member may be used to restore alinement and allow the succeeding pile to assume a vertical position. This battered pile is not reversible so that it is necessary to have two shapes, one with aforward incline at the tongue edge and the other with.a 'rearward incline at the groove edge.

In operation, I first drive a starting pile which may have any :numberof wings 10 and 11 from two to four, accordingto the way it is desired to construct the dam. These wings ma be in alinement or may be at right ang es to each other. A sheet pile is its tongue edge disposed in position within a groove on one 'wing of the starting pile, and, in'driving the sheet pile, the taper on the lower end of the same will insure that the ton ue remains in position within the groove. hould the pile swing to one side orthe other, the tongue will be'free' to turn within the groove, and,

since the shoulders do not normally contact, there will be no danger of cracking or in juring the thin edges of the pile. The manner in whichthe piles are lifted into place will insure that the proper edge is disposed toward the starting pile and will also insure intimate contact between the bottom portion of the sheet pile and the starting pile.

Should any one pile get out of plumb, either by becoming inclined edgewise or laterally, a wedge-shaped pile, such as shown in Fig. 2, or a battered pile, as shown in Fig. 3, may be introduced to straighten the line of the dam so that the succeeding pile will assume a proper plumb position.

e piles may be made of any desired" length, width and thickness, and,'when constructed ofconcrete, should include the usual reinforcement of rods and wires. Various changes may be employed in the construction and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit of my invention as disclosed in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a sheet piling construction, astarthing pile formed of concrete having a plurality of wings, each formed at its vertical longitudinal edge with a groove, and a series of sheet piles. also of concrete construction to cooperate with the starting pile and with i each other, each sheet pile being formed with a tongue on one of its vertical longitudinal ing pile formed of concrete having rality of wings, each formed at 1ts vertical j ing pile formed of concrete the adjacent edges of connected piles being so spaced as to permit a limited relative movement between the piles with the tongue and groove'connections as anaxis.-

3. In a sheetpiling construction, a start a plulongitudinal edge with a groove, and a series of sheet piles also of concrete construction to cooperate with the starting pile and with each o a tongue on one of its vertical longitudinal edges and aigroove on the other, the tongue on one pile entering the groove on the other, each groove having a recess at its base and each tongue having a similar recess'at its tip, the two recesses cooperating to-form an opening to receive calking or packing material for sealing the joint betweensaid tongues and grooves.

4;. In a sheet piling construction, a start ing pile formed of concrete having a plurality of Wings, each formed at its vertical longitudinal edge with a groove, and a. series of sheetpiles also of concrete construction to cooperate with and with each other, each sheet pile being formed with a tongue on one of its vertical longitudinal edges and a groove onfithe other, the tongue on one pile entering the -'groove on the other, each sheet, pile being tapered at'itslowerendfon the edge opposits that which carries the tongue whereby to force the tongue into intimate con.- tact with the'groovev on the adjacent "pile when the pile is being driven.

5. In a sheet pilingconstruction, a start .in pile formed of concrete ,having a plura it of wings,-each formedxatits vertical longitudinal edge with a groove, and a series of sheet piles also of concrete construction to cooperate with the starting pile and with each other, each sheet pile being formed with a tongue on one of its vertical longi-- tudinal edges and a' groove on the other, the tongue on one pile entering the groove 'on the other, each sheet pile being formed with an opening near its upper end on the side adjacent t e tongue by means of which the pile is lifted-into place. 6. In a sheet piling construction, a starthavinga plurality of wings, each formedat its vertical her, each sheet pile being formed with the starting pile 4 longitudinal edge with a groove, and a series of sheet piles also of concrete construction to cooperate with'the starting pile and .with a central projection on its upper end to form a driving head.

7. In a sheet piling construction, a starting-pile formed ofconcrete having a plurality of wings, each formed at its vertical longitudinal edge with a groove, and a series of sheet piles also of concrete construction to cooperate with the starting pile and with each other, each sheet pile being formed with a tongue on one of its vertical longitudinal edges and a groove on the other, the tongue on one pile entering the groove on the other, said piles having means for securing a waling piece in place.

8. In a sheet pilingconstruction, a starting pile formed of concrete having a plurality of wings, each formed at its'vertical longitudinal edge with a groove, and a series of sheet piles also of concrete construction to cooperate with the startingpile and with eachother, each sheet pile being formed with a tongue on one of its vertical longitudinal edges and a groove on the other, the tongue on one pile entering the groove on the other, certain of said sheet piles being tapered or wedge-shaped in side elevationfor the purpose of restoring vertical alinement to the piles should any one be driven irregularly.

9. In a sheet piling construction, a starting pile formed of concrete having a pluralitv of wings, each formed at its vertical longitudinal edge with a groove, and a series of sheet piles also of concrete construction to cooperate with the starting pile and with each other, each sheet pile being formed with a tongue on one of its vertical longitudinal edges and a groove on the other, the tongue on one pile entering the groove on the other, certain of said sheet piles being formed with their opposite edges relatively inclined laterally for the purpose of restoring plumb position to the lines of the dam should any one of the piles be driven irregularly.

10. In a sheet piling construction, a starting pile formed of concrete having a cen tral body formed with a plurality of wings longitudinally thereof said wings extending at right angles to one another and each being formed with a groove in its vertical longitudinal edge, said main body portion and wings being pointed on one end' and the main body portion extending beyond the wings at its other end to form a driving head.

ing ile formed of concrete having a central ldody formed with a plurality of wings longitudinally thereof, said wings extending at right angles to one another and each be1ng formed with a groove in its vertical longitudinal edge and a second groove formed in the bottom of each first named groove, said grooves all being semi-circular in cross-section, and said main body portion and wing being pointed on one end and themain body portion extending be yond the wings at its other end to form adriving head.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JQHN STOGKFLETH.

11. In a sheet piling construction, a start-- 

